US unlocked iPhone in UK on O2

I have just purchased an unlocked 8gb iPhone for £300 ($600) from ebay (which seems like a good deal considering most are being sold for as much as £400!)

I am currently on a vodafone contract until february '08, where i intend to renew the contract and sell the free phone i receive, effectively meaning i haven't had to pay for the iphone!

My question is, will it be worth switching to o2 when my contract with vodafone runs out next year? will i be able to take advantage of edge (as opposed to vodafone gprs) and would visual voicemail work? - at the end of the day its still an o2 sim card?

I have just purchased an unlocked 8gb iPhone for £300 ($600) from ebay (which seems like a good deal considering most are being sold for as much as £400!)

I am currently on a vodafone contract until february '08, where i intend to renew the contract and sell the free phone i receive, effectively meaning i haven't had to pay for the iphone!

My question is, will it be worth switching to o2 when my contract with vodafone runs out next year? will i be able to take advantage of edge (as opposed to vodafone gprs) and would visual voicemail work? - at the end of the day its still an o2 sim card?

cheers,
Martin

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I think you are better off switching to o2 when your contract runs out... but you are going to have to pay for a new iphone.

I think you are better off switching to o2 when your contract runs out... but you are going to have to pay for a new iphone.

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i am aware i will have to pay for my iphone (i already have - unlocked off ebay). However, when i renew my contract, i will get a free phone (e.g. nokia n95 or equivalent), which i will sell in order to effectively make the iphone free/nearly free overall.

my original q's though - will i be able to use visual voicemail with a standard o2 sim on my unlocked US iphone? and will edge work too?

i am aware i will have to pay for my iphone (i already have - unlocked off ebay). However, when i renew my contract, i will get a free phone (e.g. nokia n95 or equivalent), which i will sell in order to effectively make the iphone free/nearly free overall.

my original q's though - will i be able to use visual voicemail with a standard o2 sim on my unlocked US iphone? and will edge work too?

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Also, I what i think is going to happen in the future is that apple will push out a secret update to turn the iphone into a brick.

Also, I what i think is going to happen in the future is that apple will push out a secret update to turn the iphone into a brick.

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how exactly are they going to do that then? i could see it being possible for them to release a new version of itunes which 'forces' the iphone to upgrade. however, all that would mean is no one would upgrade itunes coz they're iphones would stop functioning.

i personally can't see that being in apple's interest, and even though at&t are on their case regarding the unlocking stuff, it won't come to a forced upgrade - apple's customers were already annoyed enough with an optional upgrade

how exactly are they going to do that then? i could see it being possible for them to release a new version of itunes which 'forces' the iphone to upgrade. however, all that would mean is no one would upgrade itunes coz they're iphones would stop functioning.

i personally can't see that being in apple's interest, and even though at&t are on their case regarding the unlocking stuff, it won't come to a forced upgrade - apple's customers were already annoyed enough with an optional upgrade

i have to disagree. I am a student and cannot afford an iphone plus £35p/m contract for 18 months.

HOWEVER, i can afford an iphone for 300 quid (which i get back through selling a free phone that i get because of renewing my contract) and then having complete choice over my tariff...

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If Apple wanted they could easy push out a secret update, that as soon as you plugged in you iphone into you Mac or PC it would brick it, You wouldn't even need to update itunes, it wouldn't even ask you if you wanted to update your iphones firmware. Apple could easy do this.

If Apple wanted they could easy push out a secret update, that as soon as you plugged in you iphone into you Mac or PC it would brick it, You wouldn't even need to update itunes, it wouldn't even ask you if you wanted to update your iphones firmware. Apple could easy do this.

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i completely disagree. putting aside the fact that it's estimated 10% of iphones are unlocked (ie 10% of apple customers who would hate them very much), its simply not possible for a company to manipulate someones computer in this way. say i didn't even have internet, how would they do it then? even with internet, they can't force your computer to download a 50mb or watever filesize update!!!

i completely disagree. putting aside the fact that it's estimated 10% of iphones are unlocked (ie 10% of apple customers who would hate them very much), its simply not possible for a company to manipulate someones computer in this way. say i didn't even have internet, how would they do it then? even with internet, they can't force your computer to download a 50mb or watever filesize update!!!

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10% is a lot. isn't that like 100 Thousand units? And its super easy to push an update with out the user knowing if you have internet access. Microsoft been doing with there "Windows update".

i am aware i will have to pay for my iphone (i already have - unlocked off ebay). However, when i renew my contract, i will get a free phone (e.g. nokia n95 or equivalent), which i will sell in order to effectively make the iphone free/nearly free overall.

my original q's though - will i be able to use visual voicemail with a standard o2 sim on my unlocked US iphone? and will edge work too?

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You realise you'll only get the free upgrade if you stay on the Vodafone contract...

By getting the free upgrade with Vodafone in Feb means that you will be re-signing a 12 or 18 month contract with Vodafone.

Vodafone will not give you a free phone in february and let you end your Vodafone contract.

If you also get an iPhone contract with o2 then you will be running two lines at the same time...or is this what you planned to do all along??

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you have misunderstood - i am not planning on going to an o2 'iphone contract'. however, i will either renew my vodafone contract when it runs out OR switch to a standard o2 contract (with a free phone) which i will use with my unlocked US iphone!
i would only wish to switch to o2 if i can get visual voicemail and edge connection though.
I REPEAT - the whole o2 bit isn't the same as getting a UK iphone on an iphone contract!

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